The Government confirmed on Tuesday, June 2, the involvement of 177 children in artisanal mining activities in Manica province, in central Mozambique, and said that efforts are underway to rescue the minors and reintegrate them into the National Education System (SNE).
“We previously had an average of 700 children involved in these activities, but at the moment there are 177 registered, of which 111 are boys and 66 are girls,” said the district director of Health, Women and Social Action Services, Bartolomeu António, quoted by Lusa.
According to the official, local authorities are working with the guardians of the children involved to end this practice. “We are also coordinating with the Mozambique Police (PRM), which is carrying out awareness campaigns on the ground, where we explain the risks of artisanal mining.”
Last year, the Minister of Education and Culture, Samaria Tovela, acknowledged the existence of children involved in mining activities in the country, stressing the collective responsibility to raise awareness against this practice.
The statement came after reports of cases of children leaving school in Manica province to engage in artisanal gold prospecting, leaving schools nearly empty.
At the time, the minister assured that the education sector, in partnership with the Ministry of Labour, Gender and Social Action, was conducting awareness work in communities, adding that this constituted “child labour.”
On September 30, 2025, the government suspended all mining licenses in Manica province and created an interministerial commission to review the licensing regime, strengthen oversight, and implement environmental recovery measures.
“The Council of Ministers decided to immediately suspend all mining licenses in Manica province. The suspension must be applied universally, covering both licensed operators and illegal miners, in order to stop environmental degradation and create conditions for institutional reorganization toward sustainable operations,” said government spokesperson Inocêncio Impissa after a Council of Ministers session in Maputo.
The decision was taken in response to environmental pollution in the province caused by mining activities. President Daniel Chapo stated on September 17 of that year that mining was causing an “environmental disaster” and suggested the possibility of a full suspension of the activity.
